


Bare, Bleeding Feet on a Sharp Knife’s Edge

by von_gelmini



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst without a happy ending if Tony's thoughts are true, Choose Your Own Ending, College Student Peter Parker, Just plain old angst if they're not, M/M, Tony Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark is Addicted to Pain, Tony's Internalized POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:00:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21678631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/von_gelmini/pseuds/von_gelmini
Summary: When Peter realized, then the end would truly begin.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	Bare, Bleeding Feet on a Sharp Knife’s Edge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [witchway](https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchway/gifts).



> There is a companion piece to this, a prequel, that [witchway](https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchway/pseuds/witchway) has written. It's from Peter's POV. It's over on tumblr at: [Barefoot on Cloud 9](https://thestarkerisobvious.tumblr.com/post/189499887503/barefoot-on-cloud-9-summary-tony-stark-damn-i).

Tony watched Peter, from the corner of his eye, as he moved confidently around the garage.

He knew for an absolute fact that he was going to leave him. Every time they were together, the knowledge kept him balancing with bare, bleeding feet on a sharp knife’s edge. It was coming. It probably wouldn’t take long this time. The only question was how it would come. 

**_How good your arms feel_ **

Would it be gentle and civilized and resolving after a cool-down period into something like a friendship again? (But never quite reaching that on Tony’s part.)

 **_Wrapped around me, holding_ **

Would it be sharp and biting and cruel, leaving him wounded on the floor, another piece of his soul ripped permanently from him. How many pieces did he have left? He had a suspicion that this, the biggest part, the part that Peter owned, was his last.

**_Making me feel so safe_ **

His mind brought his intruding thought home. They always said such nice things. That had always been true. There were always the nice words. And they were always followed by the not-nice ones. 

Peter doesn’t lie, the angel on one shoulder said. They all lie, the devil on the other countered. 

**_Your arms …_ **

**_Make me feel …_ **

**_So safe_ **

It was ridiculous. Peter Parker, Spider-Man, the kid who could stop a moving car without being surrounded by armor — had no need for someone as old and merely human as Tony was to make him feel safe. He was only saying that because he was young, inexperienced, unassured of his own power. As soon as Peter realized that what he’d said that night was a lie, that he didn’t need Tony for anything, then the end would truly begin.

As always, the question would only be, what form will it take. Civilized or cruel.

But did it really matter?

**Author's Note:**

> My Starker blog on tumblr is [starker-stories](https://starker-stories.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Come by and visit.


End file.
